Hickory, N.C.----The seventh-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears pushed their regular season winning streak to 19 games Saturday afternoon, holding off 12th-ranked Wingate University 20-13 in South Atlantic Conference football action. The NCAA Division II Showcase game was featured on ESPN3 and played in front of over 10,000 fans, which included a large contingent of Bulldog fans. The Bears improve to 9-0 overall and 7-0 in league play, while Wingate falls to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the SAC.

NOTES

- The Bears have won 14 straight SAC games and 12 straight home contests
- Third meeting between the two SAC heavyweights the last two years
- LR has won all three meetings by seven points or less
- Rematch of the second-round matchup in last year's NCAA Division II play-offs
- Lenoir-Rhyne moves to 22-13 all-time against the Bulldogs
- Wingate sees its 14-game regular season winning streak come to an end
- The 'Dogs had also won 10 straight SAC contests and seven straight regular season road games
- Wingate was held to a season low in rushing yards and tied for a season low in points
- Lenoir-Rhyne was also held to a season low in points
- The Bears clinch at least a share of the regular season SAC title

KEY STATS

- The Bulldogs outgained the Bears 370-369 on the day
- Wingate had 19 first downs compared to Lenoir-Rhyne's 13
- LR piled up 200 rushing yards compared to 86 from the 'Dogs
- Wingate had 2.6 yards per carry; LR went for 5.1 per carry
- The 'Dogs had 284 passing yards; The Bears had 169
- WU had three turnovers; Lenoir-Rhyne turned it over once
- WU was five-for-15 on third down; LR was four-for-14
- Wingate had the ball for 32:27 on the day
- The Bulldogs scored on three of four red zone trips with one TD
- LR had a field goal on its lone trip in the red zone
- The Bears had touchdown plays of 41 and 90 yards

KEY BULLDOGS

- Shaw Crocker was 19-for-34 with 274 yards and a touchdown
- BJ Muckelvene had seven catches for 106 yards and a TD
- RaQuan Simmons had eight catches for 73 yards
- Jalen Brooks added three grabs for 52 yards
- Trevor Grant notched a 43-yard reception
- Nijere Peoples had 43 rushing yards on 13 carries
- Gabe Price piled up a career-high 15 tackles
- Elijah Gilmore contributed 13 tackles
- Romario Johnson added eight stops
- Davion Washington had a pass break-up and forced fumble
- Jordon Anderson had three QB hurries
- McLean Robertson connected on both field goal attempts
- Ethan Evans averaged 37.5 yards on six punts without allowing a return

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate went 55 yards on the opening drive but turned it over on down at the LR 13
- The Bears got a 70-yard Ameen Stevens run on their first play
- Chase Allbaugh connected on a 21-yard field goal to give LR the lead
- The Bulldogs went 53 yards on their next drive
- Brooks caught passes of 20 and 22 yards to get it to the LR 35
- An 11-yard Simmons grab got it into the red zone
- Robertson hit a 31-yarder to tied it at three

SECOND QUARTER

- Grayson Willingham hit Jaquay Mitchell for a 41-yard touchdown to give LR a 10-3 lead early in the second quarter
- Allbaugh added a 43-yard field goal to make it 13-3 at the 6:52 mark
- Wingate used a 36-yard drive on its final possession of the half to get a field goal
- McNeill's 10-yard catch got it into the red zone
- Robertson's 29-yard field goal was the last play of the first half, making it 13-6

FOURTH QUARTER

- Neither team put a point on the board in the third quarter
- Willingham found Mitchell behind the defense for a 90-yard TD strike to make it 20-6 with 12:21 left
- Wingate would not go away, going 73 yards on six plays to get back within seven
- Crocker hit Grant for 43 yards on the first play of the drive
- McNeill's five-yard run gave the 'Dogs a first and goal from the five
- Crocker hit Muckelvene from four yards out to make it 20-13
- Seventh TD grab of the year for the senior
- The Wingate defense got a stop and got the ball back at its own 14 with 3:41 left
- A 12-yard catch from Muckelvene got it to the 30
- Wingate looked to have converted a fourth-and-four around midfield, but a holding call brought it back
- LR got the ball back and ran out the clock

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back home next Saturday, hosting Newberry at 6 p.m.
- The Bulldogs are celebrating Senior Day next week
- WU closes out the regular season Nov. 15 at Mars Hill